The ParkOne August Sunday afternoon, we arrive in the park and immediately are in the middle of a protest. One would think it is a joyful celebration: music plays, people are having drinks and food, talking, but the topic is quite serious: this is “The park is for everyone” solidarity event during which volunteers and refugees try to raise awareness about what is going on in the city: that asylum-seekers are being forced out of public areas and are pushed into camps and to register. We are in Belgrade, in a park often referred to as ‘Info park’, named after an NGO which is active here. It is situated on the side of the road next to the railway station and - similar to II János Pál square / John Paul the Second square - served for a long time as a transfer point for many refugees for a few nights before continuing their journey, much like the “Afghani park” on the other side of the road as well. The situation on the Hungarian border, however, became increasingly dramatic and serious. As an employee of the Infopark put it: last summer, the atmosphere at night was actually quite happy, people played music and had fun. They knew they were supposed to spend only a few days here, which made them optimistic and full of hope. However, most of the people who are currently here have been here for months now, many already tried leaving and continuing their journey but all attempts failed and no one has any idea what lies ahead. People do not have any reasons to be happy and enjoy the music anymore.

We ask the Serbian and Hungarian Authorities and UNHCR on both sides to facilitate access for NGO's and Volunteer groups to the stranded people in Kelebija and Horgos - we do not want a repetition of summer 2015.

Between 60 to 200 people are waiting in front of the two official Tranzit Zones on the Hungarian-Serbian border in Kelebija and Horgos since days, some of them since weeks. The Hungarian authorities reduced the number of accepted entrances from 30 to 20 recently and often they accept only 12 or 15 people. Usually they chose one or two families, take them in and close the doors for another day. During the last few days, the practice was that they let only Syrian or Iraqi families in. The Afghan, Pakistani, Iranian, Somali families are left waiting, and eventually return exhausted to Belgrade. One Afghan family is stranded there since 4 days and nights with several small children. The mother is pregnant. They have been talking to UNHCR on both the Serbian and the Hungarian side with no success.

So far only MSF and UNHCR get access to the people stranded on the Serbian side of the Hungarian transit zone. No other support structures are in place. Nobody is allowed to hand out tents, which means that people are exposed to all weather conditions. There are no sanitary facilities at all. The situation is deteriorating daily.

In Belgrade we witnessed 200-300 new arrivals daily during the last week. The actual number might be double as high. Numbers are increasing, not decreasing. Most of the newly arriving people come through Bulgaria, where they have been jailed and tortured, chased through forests, walked for many hours and lacked food and water. Nevertheless, NGO's are planning to withdraw in many places, closing their missions, while numbers show that the need for support is increasing.

Be aware and react early enough everywhere in Serbia and Hungary - we do not want a repetition of summer 2015. ​